Rotary selectively printing duplicator



Feb. 1963 w. RITZERFELD ETAL 3,077,829

ROTARY SELECTIVELY PRINTING DUPLICATOR Filed NOV. 30, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet l E "fa? Inventors;

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1963 w. RITZERFELD ETAL 3,077,329

ROTARY SELECTIVELY PRINTING DUPLICATOR Filed Nov. 50, 1961 2Sheets-Sheet 2 PP y Unite States RoTAnY snrncrrvnriv r mvrnso norrrcnronWilhelm Ritzerfeld, Schorlemer Allee 14, Berlin-Dahlem,

Germany, and Gerhard Ritzerfeld, Franzensbader Str. 21,Berlin-Grunewald, Germany Filed Nov. 30, 1961, Ser. No. 155,984 Claimspriority, application Germany Dec. 1, 1960 23 Claims. (Cl. 101-9l) Thepresent invention concerns a rotary duplicator, and more particularly aduplicator which reproduces selectively one or more lines out of aplurality of printing lines existing on a printing form, the spacingbetween the reproduced lines being the same or preferably a smaller onethan the spacing between the selected printing line of the form. Induplicators of this kind the printing is eifected by intermittinglymoving one of two cooperating printing members into printing positionrelative to the other, this movement being produced by means ofelectro-magnets which are energized by the output of sensing means,preferably photoelectric pick-up means, which are arranged to senseindex marks arranged on or next to the printing form for indicatingthose printing lines thereof which are desired to be selectivelyreproduccd.

It has been found that arrangements of the above mentioned kind areunsatisfactory in various respects. For carrying out the desiredoperations a great number of relays of great sensitivity were needed,and great numbers of contacts, partly incorporated in the relays andpartly provided as sliding contacts cooperating with slip rings, wererequired whereby the danger of failure was introduced on account of theunavoidable wear of the contacts'and due to the likelihood that thecontacts would become contaminated.

It is therefore a main object of this invention to provide for aduplicator of the general type set forth but being free of the abovementioned disadvantages.

It is a further object of this invention to provide for a duplicator asmentioned which is composed of a comparatively small number of entirelyreliable components.

It is still another object of this invention to provide for a duplicatorof the kind mentioned above which may be operated in a Very simple andhighly eilicient manner and at comparatively high speed.

With the above objects in view a preferred embodi ment of the inventioncomprises in a rotary selectively printing duplicator, in combination, arotary printing roller comprising holding means for holding in apredetermined position on said printing roller a printing form having aplurality of printing lines thereon and at least one index means inpredetermined relation to a selected one of said printing lines;pressure means cooperating with said printing roller and mounted movablyto and from a printing position opposite said printing roller;electromagnetic means for moving, when energized, said pressure means tosaid printing position; pick-up means arranged for deriving a signalfrom said index means whenever the latter passes, during rotation ofsaid printing roller, through the pickup area of said pickup means;impulse generator means operatively connected with said printing rollerfor delivering at least one control pulse every time when duringrotation of said printing roller one of said printing lines passesthrough a predetermined location; shift register means having aplurality of bistable storage elements respectively associated with saidprinting lines, each of said storage elements being changeable between asignal storing condition and a non-storing condition by application ofpulses of predetermined characteristic, one of said storage elementsbeing connected with said pickup means for receiving therefrom saidsignal as a signal-storing pulse, said shift register means having aninput terminal connected with said impulse generator means for receivingtherefrom said control pulses as shift pulses in synchronism with therotation of said printing roller, and having an output terminal forfurnishing an output pulse whenever a signal stored in the storageelement next to said output terminal is shifted to the latter under theaction of a shift pulse applied to said register means; and means fortransmitting said control pulses, under control of said output pulse, tosaid electromagnetic means for energizing the latter, whereby saidselected one of said printing lines is printed by the movement of thepressure roller into printing position in response to said shift impulsecoinciding with the passing of said selected printing line through apredetermined location, and to one of said output pulses correspondingto a signal derived from the pickup of the index means corresponding tosaid selected printing line.

The novel features which are considered as characteristic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof, willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic lateral elevation of a duplicator according tothe invention; and

FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration composed of a diagram of theelectrical circuits involved and further comprising a perspectivepartial view of the essential operating parts of the device. 1

Before describing the details of the illustrated embodi ment, we wish itto be understood that our invention is not concerned with details of thevarious electrical components described further below, but rather withthe particular combination and arrangement of well known electrical andelectronic components in relation to the operation of a rotaryduplicator adapted for selectively and intermittently printing selectedlines from a multiline printing form. Therefore the individualelectrical or electronic components known per so are only mentioned andshown in block form and without showing details within the individualcomponent, particularly because these details are entirely known in theart using digital components. It is the mutual cooperation between thesecomponents and with the operating mom bers of the duplicator which,according to the invention, results in a duplicator which is entirelyreliable in operation, not subject to substantial wear and capable ofrapid operation whereby this duplicator according to the invention isgreatly superior to those known to the art.

As can be seen from FIG. 1 and partly from FIG. 2, the duplicatorcomprises a printing roller 3 mounted for rotation on a shaft 9 andprovided with a holding member 2 for holding a printing form 1 in apredetermined position along its circumference. The printing form 1carries a plurality of equally spaced printing lines as shown in FIG. 2.In a well known manner a pressure roller 33 cooperates with the printingroller 3 by being movable to and from a printing position with respectto the printing roller 3. The pressure roller 33 is supported on a shaft34 which, in turn, is carried by a bell crank lever arrangement 32pivoting about pivots 35. For moving the pressure roller 33 to itsprinting position, i.e. for moving the opposite end of the leverarrangement 32 in the direction of the arrow B, at least oneelectromagnet 23 is provided which, when energized, moves its armature29 in the direction of arrow B which movement is transmitted throughlinks 28, 3! to a pivot point 31 at the remote end of the leverarrangement 32. Preferably, however, for permitting a more rapidoperation, a second electro-magnet 26 is provided which operates in thesame manner by means of the members 29a, 28a and 30a. In theconventional manner a set of feed rollers 17, 18 is provided for feedinga sheet of paper 16 which is to receive the imprint into the areabetween the circumference of the pressure roller 33 and, when theprinting roller is rotated, the surface of the printing form 1.

As can be seen from FIG. 2, the printing form is provided with indexmarkings, e.g. index marks 4 and 5 which are shown to be in registerwith the first and fifth printing line on the form 1. In this case theindex marks 4 and 5 would have the efiect of causing selectedreproduction of only the first and fifth printing line on form 1.Evidently, the index marks need not be in axial register with thecorresponding lines on the printing form 1 but must be located in apredetermined and fixed circumferential relation to the respectiveprinting line. Also, the index marks should he preferably located withinone annular surface area around the roller 3. Likewise, the index marksneed not be located on a portion of the printing form 1 although this ismost practical, they could also be located on a separate strip ofmaterial placed around the printing roller 3 adjacent to the printingform 1. Finally, the index marks could even be arranged directly on thesurface of the printing roller 3 adjacent to the lateral edge of theprinting form 1.

Photoelectric pick-up means are arranged opposite to the above-mentionedannular area in which the index marks, e.g. marks 4 and 5, may bearranged on or next to the printing form 1. As indicated in FIG. 2, thepick-up means 6 comprise in a conventional manner a light source 60connected with a supply of electric energy, and a photosensitive cell 6bexposed to the reflection of light rays projected from the source 6aonto the above-mentioned annular area and therefore capable of sensingmarks like the index mark 4- or 5 during the rotation of the printingroller 3.

The arrangement further comprises an impulse generator which consists ofa disk 8 mounted for rotation together with the printing roller 3 on theshaft 9, and of a second photoelectric pick-up device 13 cooperatingwith the disk 8. The disk 3 is provided along a circle concentric withthe axis of the shaft 9 with a series of holes 12. The angular spacingbetween consecutive holes 12 should be at least equal to the angularspacing of consecutive printing lines on form 1 with respect to the axisof shaft 9. The pick-up arrangement 1'13 comprises a light source, 13aconnected to a supply of electric energy and arranged to project a beamof light through the holes 12 while the disk 8 is rotating, and aphoto-sensitive cell 13b arranged to be impinged upon by light passingfrom the source 13a through any one of the holes 12. The relation of thelocation of the holes 12 on the disc 8 with respect to the location ofthe printing lines on the form It when the latter is held on the roller3 in a predetermined and uniform position, is such that the lightpassing through the holes 12 produces in the cell 13b an electric pulseevery time one of the printing lines passes through a predeterminedlocation. However, for reasons set forth further below, it is preferredthat the number of holes 12 'is increased in such a manner that threeconsecutive holes correspond to each printing line on the form 1, whichmeans that three consecutive pulses are produced in and furnished by thecell 13b for the passage of each printing line through the predeterminedlocation mentioned above. Of course, the number of three pulses perprinting line is only given as an example for the purpose of explanation.

The circuit arrangement connecting the pick-up arrangements 6 and 13with the above-described electromagnets 23 and 2s is illustrated in FIG.2. A shift register 7 is provided and composed of 22 bistable storageelements 5, to 5 respectively associated with the printing lines on theform 1, assuming that 22 is the number of printing lines that can beaccommodated on the printing form 1. The elements and the entire shiftregister are of conventional design and capable of storing and shiftinginformation in response to the application of pulses of predeterminedcharacteristic, and also capable of being reset from storing conditionto non-storing condition by the application of a reset pulse ofcorresponding characteristic. Each of the elements S to S is connectedwith a manual setting device e.g. a key-operated switch T to T forselectively and manually causing the application of a pulse or voltageto the particular storing element by which the latter is changed fromnon-storing condition to storing condition. Preferably, the keys T to Tare arranged on a key board on the outside of the duplicator asindicated by FIG. 1. The output of the pick-up arrangement 6 is taken toan amplifier 10 and rom there through a pulse shaper 11 to the shiftregister element 8, which has an output terminal constituting the outputof the entire shift register 7. Consequently, every signal produced bythe pick-up arrangement 6 due to sensing one of the index marks e.g. themarks 4 and 5, is applied as a signal-storing pulse to the shiftregister element 5;. The shift register elements being in nonstoringcondition are marked with 0 while those elements which are in signalstoring condition are marked with L. In the present example it isassumed that in addition to the pre-selected index marks 4 and 5corresponding to the first and fifth line of the printing form 1, theshift register element S has been changed to signalstoring condition byoperation of the key switch T;;. This manual signal-storing operationmakes it possible during an extended duplicator run to cause any desiredaddi tional printing line to be reproduced in addition to the linesselected previously and represented by the index markings on or next tothe printing form 1.

The control pulses produced by the pulse generator arrangements 8, 13are supplied as shift impulses to the input of the shift register 7 asshown as in input of the register element S If, as mentioned above, thedisc 8 is provided only with one hole 12 for every single printing lineon the form 1, then the control pulses may be applied, with or withoutamplification, directly to the input of the shift register 7. However,in this case the angular location of the individual holes 12 on the disc8 must be slightly offset with respect to the corresponding angularposition of the corresponding printing line so that each control pulsearriving as a shift pulse at the input of the shift register 7 willshift any information L stored anywhere in the register 7 one stepforward only after a sigrial-storing pulse from the pick-up arrangement6 and corresponding to the same printing line to which the hole 12.producing the particular shift pulse corresponds, has reached the shiftregister element S It can be seen that whenever information L is storedin the element 5, the arriving shift pulse will shift this informationinto the output termnal so as to be available for the operation of theremaining components of the circuit described further below, forinstance for the energization of at least one of the electro-magnets 23,2-6 mentioned above.

If, on the other hand, for reasons explained further below, the disc 8is provided with a plurality of holes 12, for instance with 3 holes 12,for every printing line on the printing form 1, then a counter device 14is interposed between the pick-up arrangement 13 and the input terminalof the shift register 7 and connected therewith by the line 14'. Thecounter 14 is of conventional design, preferably containing also anamplification stage, and delivers through line 14' only the last one,e.g. the third one, of the pulses of each group of pulses correspondingto one printing line. Either by means of a delay device in the counter14 or by corresponding location of the third hole of each group of threeholes in the disc 8 care is taken for causing again the shift pulse totake effect on the element S only after information has been storedtherein. However, the counter 14 has a second output which delivers,with or without amplification, each of the incoming control pulses intoa line 15 connected to a control device 29.

The device has a second input connected by a line 19 and, if desiredthrough the devices 15 and 19 described further below, with the outputterminal of the shift register 7. The device 20 is also of conventionaldesign and is operative for passing a sequence of control pulsesarriving through line 15' only upon the arrival of an output pulse fromthe shift register 7 through line 19. The device 29, in the preferredembodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, has twooutputs, one of which is connected by line 2t) with control devices 21and 22 adapted to control the energization of the eiectromagnet 23,while the other output is connected by line 20" with the control devices24 and 25 controlling the energization of the electro-magnet 26. In thiscase the control device 2%) has the further function of switching, everytime when it is rendered operative, the groups of control pulses, e.g.of three control pulses, alternatingly to the line 2t) and to the line20". Consequently, if two consecutive printing lines of the form 1 areto be reproduced so that two consecutive output pulses from the registerwould follow each other very closely, the first of these pulses would becaused to energize the system 1 comprising the devices 21, 22 and theelectro-magnet 23, while the immediately following pulse would causeenergization of the system 2 comprising the devices 24, 25 and theelectro-rnagnet 26. This changing between two electro-magnets 23 and 26eliminates difficulties which would otherwise arise in the case of usingonly one electro-magnet due to the unavoidable time factor involved inenergizing comparatively large electro-magnets as needed in a duplicatorof this kind.

The control device 29 is essentially a combination of a gate and apulse-controlled selective switch and may be composed of a well knownAND-circuit and an impulse relay connecting in response to a first pulsethe line 15 with the line 20' and connecting in response to the secondpulse the line 15 with the line 2%".

The control devices 21 and 24 are identical and have the characteristicsof a counter, preferably combined with an amplification stage,functioning in such a manner that of every group of pulses e.g. threepulses only the first and the last one thereof is passed on to anamplifier 22, 25, respectively. These amplifiers of conventional typewould have to contain a device, e.g. a flip-flop or an impulse relay,whereby of each group of pulses the abovementioned first pulse isamplified and transmitted to the electro-magnets 23, 26, respectively,while the last pulse e.g. the third pulse cuts off the amplifier outputso as to deenergize the respective electro-magnet.

In ordinary cases where the pressure roller 33 has the same length asthe printing roller 3 and where the index marks e.g. 4 and 5, are placedin register with the respec tively associated printing line on the form1, it will not be possible to arrange the pickup arrangement 6 in such aposition that it picks up a signal from an index mark at the moment whenthe respectively associated printing line is subtantially in printingposition opposite the pressure roller 33. In order to overcome thisdifficulty the invention provides the following arrangement. In thestarting position as shown in FIG. 2, the first printing line isangularly spaced from its printing position opposite the pressure roller33 an amount equal to e.g. 5 line spacings. Consequently, when theprinting roller 3 is rotated, the first printing line will reach itsprinting position only after five control pulses have been delivered asshift pulses to the shift register 7. Accordingly, an auxiliary shiftregister 15 is connected in series with the shift register 7. Thisauxiliary register 15 contains five storage elements and operates in thesame manner as the main shift register 7. Consequently, any informationstored in any one of the elements of the register 7 will be passed bythe shift pulses applied to the main register 7 stepwise in unchangedsequence through the register 15 before reaching the above-mentionedcontrol device 20. Thus, a signal produced by sensing the first indexmark 4 will reach the device 20 when the first line associated with mark4 is in its printing position. The same applies to all other index marksand printing lines.

Between the output of the auxiliary shift register 15 and the controldevice 2t an amplifier 19 is provided. In a preferred embodiment of theinvention this amplifier 19 has a second output connected by a line 19with a second input of the shift register element S Consequently, incontinued operation of the duplicator any information stored in theregister 7 either by the application of signals from the pick-up device6 or introduced by manual operation of any one of the keys T to T willbe circulated and reintroduced into the fifth register 7 after everycycle of operations. In this manner repeated actuation of any one of thekeys T to T is avoided.

Finally, a reset key 27 is provided e.g. at the counter 14- which servesto introduce into the registers 7 and ,15 a reset pulse or voltage whichacts to reset all the elements of the registers to non-storingcondition.

It is to be understood that all the devices 10, 11, 14, 19-42 and 2425are preferably electronic devices or circuits so that the difficultiesarising frequently in the operation of electro-magnet relays areavoided.

The operation of the arrangement according to the invention is asfollows. It may be assumed that, as illustrated by FIG. 2, markings 4and 5 associated with the first and fifth printing line of the form 1are provided, and that for printing additionally the third printing linethe key T has been actuated. Consequently, before the start ofoperations the information L has been stored in the element S of theshift register '7. After the start of the rotation of the printingroller 3 first the index mark 4 is sensed whereby information L isstored in the element S During the rotation of the printing roller 3 therotation of the disc 8 causes the production of a sequence of controlpulses in consecutive groups of three pulses, each group correspondingto the movement of the print form 1 a distance corresponding to onespacing between the printing lines. Since every third pulse so producedis applied as a shift pulse to the shift register 7 the information Lstored in the element S is shifted stepwise with every shift pulse intothe auxiliary register 15 and will have arrived in the foremost elementthereof after the fifth shift pulse has been applied. After the eighthshift pulse the information L that was originally stored in the elementS will have reached the third ele ment of the auxiliary register 15.Immediately before the tenth shift pulse is applied the information L isstored in the element S on account of the sensing of the index mark 5registering with the fifth printing line on the form 1. Consequentlyafter said tenth shift pulse this information is shifted into the lastelement of the register 15 so that now the information LOLOL is storedin the register 15. The next following shift pulse applied to theregister 7 moves any information further introduced from the pick-uparrangement 6 or already stored manually in the rest of the register 7one step forward, but by all means it moves the information stored inthe auxiliary register 15 one step forward so that now an output pulsefrom the foremost element of the register 15 is delivered through theamplifier 19 to the control device 20. Hereby the latter is renderedoperative for a period of time suflicient to permit the passage of threeconsecutive control pulses either to sys item 1 or to system 2. In viewof the factthat at the time when the above-mentioned output pulse isdelivered from the register 15 to the control device 20 the firstprinting line has reached its printing position opposite thepressureroller 33, and since now through the energi- Zation of theelectro-magnet 23 or 26 the pressure roller is moved into printingposition, the first printing line which was selected by placing theindex mark 4 on the form 1, is now printed. It will be understoodreadily that in the same manner the third and fifth printing lines willbe reproduced or printed in the same manner and in the correspondingsequence.

Whatever information passes through the auxiliary shift register 15 isreintroduced from the amplifier 19 into the element S of the mainregister so that after a corresponding number of pulses again theinformation LOLOL will be stored in the elements S to S ready for beingused in the next operational cycle.

If for a subsequent printing operation either a different printing form1 is attached to the printing roller 3, or a different set of indexmarks is to be applied, or a previous storage of information effected byoperation of one or more of the keys T to T is no longer desired, thenall the stored information in the register 7 and can be cancelled bymanual operation of the reset key 27.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofrotary selectively printing duplicator differing from the typesdescribed above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied inrotary selectively printing duplicator comprising pick-up means, impulsegenerator means and shift register means, it is not intended to belimited to the details shown, since various modifications and structuralchanges may be made without departing in any way from the spirit of thepresent invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by appyling current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a rotary selectively printing duplicator, in combination, a rotaryprinting roller comprising holding means for holding in a predeterminedposition on said printing roller a printing form having a plurality ofprinting lines thereon and at least one index means in predeterminedrelation to a selected one of said printing lines; pressure meanscooperating with said printing roller and mounted movably to and from aprinting position opposite said printing roller; electromagnetic meansfor moving, when energized, said pressure means to said printingposition; pickup means arranged for deriving a signal from said indexmeans whenever the latter passes, during rotation of said printingroller, through the pickup area of said pickup means; impulse generatormeans operatively connected with said printing roller for delivering atleast one control pulse every time when during rotation of said printingroller one of said printing lines passes through a predeterminedlocation; shift register means having a plurality of bistable storageelements respectively associated with said printing lines, each of saidstorage elements being changeable between a signal storing condition anda non-storing condition by application of pulses of predeterminedcharacteristic, one of said storage elements being connected with saidpickup means for receiving therefrom said signal as a signal-storingpulse, said shift register means having an input terminal connected withsaid impulse generator means for receiving therefrom said control pulsesas shift pulses in synchronism with the rotation of said printingroller, and having an output terminal for furnishing an output pulsewhenever a signal stored in the storage element next to said outputterminal is shifted to the latter under the action of a shift pulseapplied to said register means; and means for transmitting said controlpulses, under control of said output pulse, to said electromagneticmeans for energizing the latter, whereby said selected one of saidprinting lines is printed by the movement of the pressure roller intoprinting position in response to said shift impulse coinciding with thepassing of said selected printing line through a predetermined location,and to one of said output pulses corresponding to a signal derived fromthe pickup of the index means corresponding to said selected printingline.

2. In a rotary selectively printing duplicator, in Combination, a rotaryprinting roller comprising holding means for holding in a predeterminedposition on said printing roller a printing form having a plurality ofprinting lines thereon and at least one index means comprising a markoptically in contrast with its surrounding in predetermined relation toa selected one of said printing lines; pressure means cooperating withsaid printing roller and mounted movably to and from a printing positionopposite said printing roller; electromagnetic means for moving, whenenergized, said pressure means to said printing position; photoelectricpickup means arranged for sensing said mark and for deriving a signalfrom sensing said mark whenever the latter passes, during rotation ofsaid printing roller, through the pickup area of said pickup means;photoelectric impulse generator means operatively connected with saidprinting roller for delivering at least one control pulse every timewhen during rotation of said printing roller one of said printing linespasses through a predetermined location, said impulse generator meansincluding a source of light producing a beam and a light barrierextending across said beam and movable rotarily with said printingroller relative to each other, said light barrier having a plurality oflight-permeable portions including at least one such portion for everyone of said printing lines, respectively, and photoelectric pickup meansin the path of said beam passing through any one of said portions; shiftregister means having a plurality of bistable storage elementsrespectively associated with said printing lines, each of said storageelements being changeable between a signal storing condition and anonstoring condition by application of pulses of predeterminedcharacteristic, one of said storage elements being connected with saidpickup means for receiving therefrom said signal as a signal-storingpulse, said shift register means having an input terminal connected withsaid impulse generator means for receiving therefrom said control pulsesas shift pulses in synchronism with the rotation of said printingroller, and having an output terminal for furnishing an output pulsewhenever a signal stored in the storage element next to said outputterminal is shifted to the latter under the action of a shift pulseapplied to said register means; and means for transmitting said controlpulses, under control of said output pulse, to said electromagneticmeans for energizing the latter, whereby said selected one of saidprinting lines is printed by the movement of the pressure roller intoprinting position in response to said shift impulse coinciding with thepassing of said selected printing line through a predetermined location,and to one of said output pulses corresponding to a signal derived fromthe pickup of the index means corresponding to said selected printingline.

3. In a rotary selectively printing duplicator, in combination, a rotaryprinting roller comprising holding means for holding in a predeterminedposition on said printing roller a printing form having a plurality ofprinting lines thereon and at least one index means comprising a markoptically in contrast with its surrounding in predetermined relation toa selected one of said printing lines; pressure means cooperating withsaid printing roller and mounted movably to and from a printing positionopposite said printing roller; electromagnetic means for moving, whenenergized, said pressure means to said printing position; photoelectricpickup means arranged for sensing said mark and for deriving a signalfrom 9 sensing said mark whenever the latter passes, during rotation ofsaid printing roller, through the pickup area of said pickup means;photoelectric impulse generator means operatively connected with saidprinting roller for delivering a group of a predetermined number ofconsecutive control pulses every time when during rotation of saidprinting roller one of said printing lines passes through apredetermined location, said impulse generator means including a sourceof light producing a beam and a light barrier extending across said beamand movable rotarily with said printing roller relative to each other,said light barrier having a plurality of light-permeable portionsincluding .a group of a predetermined number of such portions for everyone of said printing lines, respectively, and photoelectric pickup meansin the path of said beam passing through any one of said portions; shiftregister means having a plurality of bistable storage elementsrespectively associated with said printing lines each of said storageelements being changeable between a signal storing condition and anon-storing condition by application of pulses of predeterminedcharacteristic, one

of said storage elements being connected with said pickup means forreceiving therefrom said signal as a signalstoring pulse, said shiftregister means having an input terminal connected with said impulsegenerator means for receiving therefrom said control pulses as shiftpulses in synchronism with the rotation of said printing roller, andhaving an output terminal for furnishing an output pulse whenever asignal stored in the storage element next to said output terminal isshifted to the latter under the action of a shift pulse applied to saidregister means;

and means for transmitting said control pulses, under control of saidoutput pulse, to said electromagnetic means for energizing the latter,whereby said selected 'one of said printing lines is printed by themovement 'of the pressure roller into printing position in response tosaid shift impulse coinciding with the passing of said selected printingline through a predetermined location, and to one of said output pulsescorresponding to a signal derived from the pickup of the index meanscorresponding to said selected printing line.

4. In a rotary selectively printing duplicator, in combination, a rotaryprinting roller comprising holding means for holding in a predeterminedposition on said printing position; photoelectric pickup means arrangedfor sensing said mark and for deriving a signal from sensingsaid markwhenever the latter passes, during rotation of said printing roller,through the pickup area of said pickup means; photoelectric impulsegenerator means operatively connected With said printing roller fordelivering a group of a predetermined number of consecutive controlpulses every time when during rotation of said printing roller one ofsaid printing lines passes through a predetermined location, saidimpulse generator ,means including a source of light producing a beamand a light barrier extending across said beam and movable rotarily withsaid printing roller relative to each other, said light barrier having aplurality of light-permeable portions including a group of apredetermined number of such portions for every one of said printinglines, respectively, and photoelectric pickup means in the path of saidbeam passing through any one of said portions, each of said groups oflight-permeable portions having an angular position with respect to theaxis of rotation in predetermined relation to the angular position of adifferent one of said printing lines; shift register means having aplurality of bistable storage elements respectively associated with saidprinting lines, each of said storage elements being changeable between asignal storing condition and a non-storing condition by application ofpulses of predetermined characteristic, one of said storage elementsbeing connected with said pickup means for receiving therefrom saidsignal as a signal-storing pulse, said shift register means having aninput terminal connected with said impulse generator means for receivingtherefrom said control pulses as shift pulses in synchronism with therotation of said printing roller, and having an output terminal forfurnishing an output pulse whenever a signal stored in the storageelement next to said output terminal is shifted to the latter under theaction of a shift pulse applied to said register means; and means fortransmitting said control pulses, under control of said output pulse, tosaid electro-magnetic means for the pickup of the index meanscorresponding to said selected printing line.

5. A duplicator as claimed in claim 4, wherein said impulse generatormeans include counting means for passing only every last control pulseout of each of said groups thereof as a shift pulse to said shiftregister.

6. A duplicator as claimed in claim 5, wherein said means fortransmitting said control pulses to said electromagnetic means includecontrol means connected with said impulse generator means for beingsupplied with all of said control pulses, and being additionallyconnected with said output terminal of said shift register means forbeing actuated by output pulses therefrom, said control means beingnormally inoperative and being rendered operative only by theapplication of each of said output pulses for a time period suflicientto pass one of said groups of control pulses to said electromagneticmeans.

7. A duplicator as claimed in claim 6, wherein said means fortransmitting said control pulses to said electromagnetic means includecounting and impulse-responsive switch means connected between saidcontrol means and said electromagnetic means for starting theenergization of the latter in response to the first one of a group ofcontrol pulses and for terminating said energization in response to thelast one of such group of control pulses.

8. A duplicator as claimed in claim 7, wherein said electromagneticmeans comprise two alternatively operable electromagnetc, and whereinfirst counting and impulse-responsive switch means are connected betweensaid control means and one of said electromagnets, and second countingand impulse-responsive switch means connected between said control meansand the other electromagnet, said control means includingimpulse-response change-over switch means for alternatingly passing saidcontrol pulses, in response to consecutive ones of said output pulses,to said first and second counting and impulse-responsive switch means soas to alternatingly energize said electromagnets.

9. A duplicator as claimed in claim 4, wherein in the starting positionthe first one of said printing lines is spaced from its printingposition opposite said pressure eans a distance which in circumferentialdirection of said printing roller is an integer multiple of the spacingbetween consecutive printing lines.

' 10. A duplicator as claimed in claim 9, wherein said shift registermeans are extended beyond said one storage element by the addition of anumber of additional storage elements equal to said integer numberdetermining said spacing of said first printing line from its printingposition, so that said output pulse is delivered from the last 1 1 oneof said additional elements when the respective printing line hasreached its printing position.

11. A duplicator as claimed in claim 10, wherein means are providedbetween the output terminal of said last one of said additional elementsand said control means for reintroducing each of said output pulses tothe storage element at the end of said shift register means opposite toits output terminal.

12. In a rotary selectively printing duplicator, in combination, arotary printing roller comprising holding means for holding in apredetermined position on said printing roller a printing form having aplurality of printing lines thereon and at least one index meanscomprising a mark optically in contrast with its surrounding inpredetermined relation to a selected one of said printing lines;pressure means cooperating with said printing roller and mounted movablyto and from a printing position op posite said printing roller;electromagnetic means for moving, when energized, said pressure means tosaid printing position; photoelectric pickup means arranged for sensingsaid marl; and for deriving a signal from sensing said mark whenever thelatter passes, during rotation of said printing roller, through thepickup area of said pickup means; photoelectric impulse generator meansoperativeiy connected with said printing roller for delivering a groupof a predetermined number of consecutive control pulses every time whenduring rotation of said printing roller one of said printing linespasses through a predetermined location, said impulse generator meansincluding a source of light producing a cos n and a light barrierextending across said beam and movable rotarily with said printingroller relative to each other, said light barrier having a plurality oflight-permeable portions including a group of a predetermined number ofsuch portions for every one of said printing lines, respectively, and aphotoelectric pickup means in the path of said beam passing through anyone said portions, each of said groups of light-permeable portionshaving an angular position with respect to the axis of rotation inpredetermined relation to the angular position of a ditferent one ofsaid printing lines; shift register means having a plurality of bistablestorage elements respectively associated with said printing lines, eachof said storage elements being changeable between a signal storingcondition and a non-storing condition by application of pulses ofpredetermined characteristic, one of said storage elements beingconnected with said pickup means for receiving therefrom saidsignal-storing pulse, said shift register means having an input terminalconnected with said impulse generator V means for receiving therefromsaid control pulses as shift pulses in synchronism with the rotation ofsaid printing roller, and having an output terminal for furnishing anoutput pulse whenever a signal stored in the storage element next tosaid output terminal is shifted to the latter under the action of ashift pulse applied to said register means, said shift register meansincluding setting means for individually and selectively changing any ofsaid storage elements from non-storing condition to storing conditionindependently of an application of a signal storing pulse; and means fortransmitting said control pulses, under control of said output pulse, tosaid electromagnetic means for energizing the latter, whereby saidselected one of said printing lines is printed by the movement of thepressure roller into printing position in respouse to said shift impulsecoinciding with the passing of said selected printing line through apredetermined location, and to one of said output pulses correspondingto a signal derived from the pickup or the index means corresponding tosaid selected printing line.

13. A duplicator as claimed in claim 12, wherein said setting meansinclude control keys mounted on the outside of the duplicator formanually controlling the setting 12 of the respectively associatedstorage elements to storing condition.

14. A duplicator as claimed in claim 13, including reset means forreturning, whenever desired, all of said storage elements to non-storingcondition.

15. A duplicator as claimed in claim 12, wherein said impulse generatormeans include counting means for passing only every last control pulseout of each of said groups thereof as a shift pulse to said shiftregister.

16. A duplicator as claimed in claim 15 wherein said means fortransmitting said control pulses to said electromagnetic means includecontrol means connected with said impulse generator means for beingsupplied with all of said control pulses, and being additionallyconnected with said output terminal of said shift register means forbeing actuated by output pulses therefrom, said control means beingnormally inoperative and being rendered operative only by theapplication of each of said output pulses for a time period sufficientto pass one of said groups of control pulses to said electromagneticmeans.

17. A duplicator as claimed in claim 16, wherein said means fortransmitting said control pulses to said electromagnetic means includecounting and impulse-responsive switch means connected between saidcontrol means and said electromagnetic means for starting theenergization of the latter in response to the first one of a group ofcontrol pulses and for terminating said cnergization in response to thelast one of such group of control pulses.

18. A duplicator as claimed in claim 17, wherein said electromagneticmeans comprise two alternatively operable electromagnets, and whereinfirst counting and impulse-responsive switch means are connected betweensaid control means and one of said electromagnets, and second countingand impulse-responsive switch means connected between said control meansand the other electromagnet, said control means including impulse-respomsive change-over switch means for alternatively passing said controlpulses, in response to consecutive ones of said output pulses, to saidfirst and second counting and impulse-responsive switch means so as toalternatively energize said electromagnets.

19. A duplicator as claimed in claim 18, wherein in the startingposition the first one of said printing lines is spaced from itsprinting position opposite said pressure means a distance which incircumferential directions of said printing roller is an integermultiple of the spacing between consecutive printing lines.

20. A duplicator as claimed in claim 19, wherein said shift registermeans are extended beyond said one storage element by the addition of anumber of additional storage elements equal to said integer numberdetermining said spacing of said first printing line from its printingposition, so that said output pulse is delivered from the last one ofsaid additional elements when the respective printing line has reachedits printing position.

21. A duplicator as claimed in claim 20, wherein means are providedbetween the output terminal of said last one of said additional elementsand said control means for reintroducing each of said output pulses tothe storage element at the end of said shift register means opposite toits output terminal.

22. A duplicator as claimed in claim 21, wherein said setting meansinclude control keys mounted on the outside of the duplicator formanually controlling the setting of the respectively associated storageelements to storing condition.

23. A duplicator as claimed in claim 22, including reset means forreturning, whenever desired, all of said storage elements to non-storingcondition.

No references cited.

1. IN A ROTARY SELECTIVELY PRINTING DUPLICATOR, IN COMBINATION, A ROTARYPRINTING ROLLER COMPRISING HOLDING MEANS FOR HOLDING IN A PREDETERMINEDPOSITION ON SAID PRINTING ROLLER A PRINTING FORM HAVING A PLURALITY OFPRINTING LINES THEREON AND AT LEAST ONE INDEX MEANS IN PREDETERMINEDRELATION TO A SELECTED ONE OF SAID PRINTING LINES; PRESSURE MEANSCOOPERATING WITH SAID PRINTING ROLLER AND MOUNTED MOVABLY TO AND FROM APRINTING POSITION OPPOSITE SAID PRINTING ROLLER; ELECTROMAGNETIC MEANSFOR MOVING, WHEN ENERGIZED, SAID PRESSURE MEANS TO SAID PRINTINGPOSITION; PICKUP MEANS ARRANGED FOR DERIVING A SIGNAL FROM SAID INDEXMEANS WHENEVER THE LATTER PASSES, DURING ROTATION OF SAID PRINTINGROLLER, THROUGH THE PICKUP AREA OF SAID PICKUP MEANS; IMPULSE GENERATORMEANS OPERATIVELY CONNECTED WITH SAID PRINTING ROLLER FOR DELIVERING ATLEAST ONE CONTROL PULSE EVERY TIME WHEN DURING ROTATION OF SAID PRINTINGROLLER ONE OF SAID PRINTING LINES PASSES THROUGH A PREDETERMINEDLOCATION; SHIFT REGISTER MEANS HAVING A PLURALITY OF BISTABLE STORAGEELEMENTS RESPECTIVELY ASSOCIATED WITH SAID PRINTING LINES, EACH OF SAIDSTORAGE ELEMENTS BEING CHANGEABLE BETWEEN A SIGNAL STORING CONDITION ANDA NON-STORING CONDITION BY APPLICATION OF PULSES OF PREDETERMINEDCHARACTERISTIC, ONE OF SAID STORAGE ELEMENTS BEING CONNECTED WITH SAIDPICKUP MEANS FOR RECEIVING THEREFROM SAID SIGNAL AS A SIGNAL-STORINGPULSE, SAID SHIFT REGISTER MEANS HAVING AN INPUT TERMINAL CONNECTED WITHSAID IMPULSE GENERATOR MEANS FOR RECEIVING THEREFROM SAID CONTROL PULSESAS SHIFT PULSES IN SYNCHRONISM WITH THE ROTATION OF SAID PRINTINGROLLER, AND HAVING AN OUTPUT TERMINAL FOR FURNISHING AN OUTPUT PULSEWHENEVER A SIGNAL STORED IN THE STORAGE ELEMENT NEXT TO SAID OUTPUTTERMINAL IS SHIFTED TO THE LATTER UNDER THE ACTION OF A SHIFT PULSEAPPLIED TO SAID REGISTER MEANS; AND MEANS FOR TRANSMITTING SAID CONTROLPULSES, UNDER CONTROL OF SAID OUTPUT PULSE, TO SAID ELECTROMAGNETICMEANS FOR ENERGIZING THE LATTER, WHEREBY SAID SELECTED ONE OF SAIDPRINTING LINES IS PRINTED BY THE MOVEMENT OF THE PRESSURE ROLLER INTOPRINTING POSITION IN RESPONSE TO SAID SHIFT IMPULSE COINCIDING WITH THEPASSING OF SAID SELECTED PRINTING LINE THROUGH A PREDETERMINED LOCATION,AND TO ONE OF SAID OUTPUT PULSES CORRESPONDING TO A SIGNAL DERIVED FROMTHE PICKUP OF THE INDEX MEANS CORRESPONDING TO SAID SELECTED PRINTINGLINE.